


How Shasta Came to be the son of Arsheesh - Prequel to The Horse and His Boy

by Amurtinyburr12



Category: Chronicles of Narnia - All Media Types
Genre: C.S. Lewis - Freeform, Golden Age (Narnia), Prequel, The Chronicles of Narnia - Freeform, the horse and his boy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-31
Updated: 2015-01-31
Packaged: 2018-03-09 18:21:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3259724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amurtinyburr12/pseuds/Amurtinyburr12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Once, there was a boy, who we've known as Shasta, and was not all that he seemed. He had a great destiny foretold from the day of his birth that he would save Archenland from great danger.</p><p>However, before I tell that story I must first tell this one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How Shasta Came to be the son of Arsheesh - Prequel to The Horse and His Boy

**Author's Note:**

> This work was deeply inspired by my love of Narnia, my favorite childhood series growing up (and always will be).  
> THIS ONE IS SET RIGHT BEFORE THE HORSE AND HIS BOY. If you don't know Shasta/Cor's story this is a summary of what he knows that happened and here I have written in the missing pieces they could not figure out (though it is not true but lovely to imagine). 
> 
> Shasta/Cor and his brother Corin were taken to a wise old centaur to be blessed at birth in Narnia. The centaur foretold Shasta/Cor would be the one to save the kingdom of Archenland when it was at it's deadliest danger. There was a man called Lord Bar who had done something wrong- bezzing or something of the sort- and King Lune, Shasta/Cors father, had to dismiss him. Lord Bar was unhappy with this decision and allied with the Tisroc, of the Caloremens, and sent them a lot of secret information. He succeeded in kidnapping Shasta/Cor as a baby, and rode away. King Lune chased after him and soon they were in boats. There was a great battle but the baby was not found. Bar had given Shasta/Cor to one of his knights to kill and sent them away. It is only known that the knight must have starved to let the baby live, and the boat was later pushed on by Aslan, the great lion, to Arsheesh the fisherman who raised Shasta/Cor for a great deal of his life until the prophecy came to pass.

As Rilian lay dying, the lady star holding his hand in her own flickering palm, he wondered if he'd truly managed to do the right thing at all, by saving the king's child. 

His allegiance had been pledged to the Lord Bar, no matter how dubious his intentions seemed. His master, and so called friend, had revealed what had been on his mind the past couple weeks:

To kill the baby boy of King Lune, the one destined to save Archenland from it's greatest danger and do away with it/

That is one of that matters that troubled the knight, whom had been ordered by his Lord to take part in the task- though he had begged to be excused from it. How could he condemn his fellow Archenlanders to a terrible fate, if he killed the one that would save them?

The Lord Bar, disgraced before the council but allowed to still make peaceful comings and goings through Archenland, refused poor Rillian's requests to be left out of the plans with a heart of stone. "You are a young knight Rilian, you will soon learn that this is going to benefit all of us."

Of course, Rillian had not known of the secret communions Bar held with Caloremens, or he would have most certainly realized that his Lord was involved in treachery. In his heart, he pondered what benefits Archenland or their allies of Narnia would reap from the killing of an infant but fellow knights shook their heads gravely and gave him several punches to the arm. "You are young, knight Rilian and Lord Bar has had many an experience in battles that you have not. What right have you to question his judgement? A knight, barely a man, defying another that is twice his own age?"

At this, Rillian would say no more and before he knew it the day of the kidnapping had arrived but the guilt he felt was as heavy as wearing a bag filled with gold over his back. 

Night fell and other men signaled to Rilian that it was time. He was to stand by the waters edge with the ship Lord Bar would most certainly take flight on when he reached them on his horse, along with the infant prince. Rilian felt increasingly nervous with each minute that passed and he was just about to turn and abandon the whole ridiculous idea for his conscious had finally gotten the better of him when there was a great noise from over the top of the ridge line. And before the startled knight could even blink, though he really should not have been startled at all for he knew it had been coming all along, the Lord Bar had drawn closer to the ship, gripping a screeching pink thing in his arms and riding with such ferocity the horse he was mounted on seem to be running out of fear from its rider, rather than what was pursuing them from behind.

And it was true that Bar had not gotten far without King Lune getting wind of his traitorous plans and had immediately made haste to chase after the horse, the rider, and his son. As Bar pelted down the cliff side on the whinnying horse the sound of roaring and shouting could be heard from over the ridge. Rilian's heart soared and though he would never tell Lord Bar this, he secretly hoped his fellow Archenlanders would catch the two humans and the king could be reunited with his lost son. 

But would do I know about wars and tactics? He thought to himself bitterly, recalling the sour tongues the other knights had spoken to him with often. What little I know, I am nothing but a lowly knight with no experience in the matters of these kind of things. Surely, Lord Bar knows better. 

And as unfortunate as it was, Rilian had been tricked into thinking these things about himself, as much of society is bewitched into believing untrue ideals.

Rilian ordered the anchor to be pulled onto the deck and with bleak thoughts pushed down the plank over the water so that Lord Bar may board the ship without getting his fine clothes wet. 

However, King Lune and his army were fighting for much more than revenge. They fought for a greater purpose than the kidnappers did-they fought for the return of their little prince, blood of one of the most just kings to rule Archenland. They attacked with such force Rilian found that he somehow he'd fallen in next to Lord Bar and they were fighting side by side, if one might call it fighting. A more accurate description would be holding up a sword as someone else hacked and stabbed and you did all you could to make sure none of their attacks hit you.

After some time, Lord Bar must have known it was hopeless as more and more soldiers and men poured onto the ship, some climbing up the sides of the boat itself and others shooting arrows from up on the cliff. 

"Rilian! To my side!" The beaten Lord cried through the clamor, which Rilian found quite silly since he was, after all, already standing at the Lord's left arm. 

"Sir?" He asked in a voice that he hoped had not sounded as weary as he felt. He deflected a blow from an angry Archenlander on his right and did his best to concentrate on the words that followed. 

"Take the child. Take it far away, and do not let it live."

Rilian felt nothing but dread as Prince Cor, or Shasta as we will know him later on, was pushed into his arms and the Lord dissapeared from his sight in the mob of people. It was all Rilian could do to duck under the various elbows and find his way to the little boats below deck. Once, as he was clamoring down the stairs he was pushed accidentally by someone and he nearly dropped the baby down the steps, but no one could see it because he had cleverly concealed it within his coats.

The troubled knight hesitated at the boats, and took a small look at the child hidden in his tunic. It had stopped crying long ago, and only stared up at the knight with large trusting eyes as if to say: Go on then, make your choice. Kill me or don't kill me, it's your decision.

And Rilian, even after death, regretted what did after that. His actions were inexcusable and he often wished someone had come down and found him out. Anything to return the infant to his father. 

But no, what did happen was entirely different. Rilian closed his eyes as he could not bare to look at the child's face and got into the small rowboat from which he launched himself and the baby away from the fighting of the ship and began to row fervently downstream. 

They got very far away, so far that even Rilian was not sure to where exactly they'd drifted. Inside the small rowboat lay only two apples and a small loaf of bread that appeared to be stale. The water in the river did not appear drinkable for a large amount of green slime blanketed the top and Rilian was weary of swallowing the vile stuff.

Four long days adrift in a boat leaves one tired and weary, and seeing as the knight had not taken one bit of food for himself and had instead given it to the baby he knew given a few more days he would surely die. The heat of the sun battered him and left him grimacing into the unfiltered light and as Prince Cor began to make the smallest of noises, not fully a cry but more like a whimper, he knew in his heart he could never kill a baby no matter what the Lord Bar had instructed him.

Rilian, after coming to this realization began to wonder if maybe he could somehow row against the current of the stream back towards Archenland. The flow wasn't all that strong or swift at the least, but the knight had gone four days without any food or water and after being fed and properly cared for all of his life this came as bit of a shock when he found that his legs were trembling from lack of eating. Perhaps if he had eaten breakfast he might have been able to do it, those hundred or less miles back to his native kingdom. He attempted for a good half hour to row the boat gently up the stream, and after that seemed to be pointless he climbed out of the boat and began pushing it using only his bare hands. 

The water was frigid and unforgiving, but not nearly as chilling as the hatred Rilian felt for himself. He felt as if no man had ever had such contempt for themselves, for being a wretched traitor to his kingdom. What had I been drinking that night? He cursed himself as he waded through the deep water, shoving the rowboat in front of himself, but with each step he began to more and more despair.  I let the ever questionable Lord Bar convince me that betraying the king was the right thing to do... I've been a  **fool**. Aslan... please take pity on your servant...

His arms and legs trembled and the regretful knight was absolutely miserable. The only thing that kept him going was the thought of getting the young babe somewhere safe. If he was to die, surely the child would die too. He supposed it's almost a blessing that the tiny prince was with him because his will to live is stronger than it would be if the baby wasn't here. It wasn't just his life at stake, it was the child's too.

It was after three more days that Rilian collapsed, the strength to go on nearly vaporizing like smoke in the sunlight. The baby prince seemed fine, if there was anything to be positive about, swallowing with some difficulty a chunk of rotting apple, though Rilian had made it suitable enough to eat. All that is to be said about the matter is that the knight used unpleasant methods to make the apple chew-able, and that is to be left at that.

It would be nice to say that Rilian kept going nonstop those three days without break, the desire to get the baby home fueling him, giving him almost inhumane like qualities. He'd be a hero. He'd have his name spread around the country.

However, Rilian is not by any means a character with superhuman strength of any sort and is actually very average and has nothing unique going for him at all. When one realizes they are not particularly important, it is then that they begin question themselves and start thinking thoughts such as just exactly why did I give myself the idea that I could swim for miles upstream with a baby and not die? 

So it turns out for our unheroic hero that Rilian is like almost every other person in this land, and that means after a week of no food or water he was feeling quite delirious and not at all well. His sides ached, his stomach growled nonstop begging for a small morsel of food (all of which the baby had eaten by now), his skin above the waist was rough and cracked from the sun and below the waist was blue and cold from the water. It's actually quite miraculous he supposes, since he's sure he shouldn't have even lasted this long. His voice hurts particularly badly as well, but he keeps himself talking and ended up telling Cor his entire life like how he'd never been a somebody but more closely resembled a nobody.

The events that took place after Rilian stopped on an easily accessibly bank were life changing, but the only emotion he really felt was at peace. He at first tried to convince himself he'd stop for only a quick nap, just like a few other ones he'd had over the past few trying and back-aching days. A little restoration of energy to his body would do him good. But deep down, the poor knight must have known this was his final stop.

 It was sometime in the afternoon, when the sun was at it's highest peak in the sky when he felt a great shadow fall over him. Rilian could not bring himself to open his eyes for he was far to tired to even twitch his thumb, let alone try to look at anyone. As soon as the shadow passed by he felt a terrible fear go through him, but a good kind of fear that made his skin tingle in such a way that I cannot describe because there is no way to tell it in words.

He heard the boat drifting away, a few soft ripples in the water and a noise that sounded a lot like a deep purr. The baby had been wailing but suddenly quieted down and began to giggle quietly. Rilian knew he should do something. This was far too odd. Why was the baby laughing? Where was the prince going? And yet he did not react because of the peculiar feeling he'd received and he knew things would work out alright. Besides, even if he'd wanted to stop whomever was taking the baby from him he would not have been able too, because in truth the young knight was dying. 

O Aslan, he thought weakly. Grant one small favor to your servant, that I will not have to die alone and without anyone to hold my hand. 

He was afraid of death, and though he had heard tales of Aslan's Country he was not sure that he would be welcomed there after what he had done. 

The air felt almost electric and Rilian wondered if that's what it felt like when you die. He wanted to feel sorry for himself but all he could manage to feel was relief at the idea that the baby was safe.

He jerked slightly (which caused him to wince in pain) when he felt someone's fingers lace through his, the sudden interaction catching him off guard. He managed to open one half squinted eye, though it was still excruciating for him to do so. 

"Be still, Knight Rilian. I am Lilliandil, daughter of Ramandu." It did not occur to Rilian at the time that this lady glowed with faint light or that her radiant beauty would have taken any other man off guard. "I have been called here so that you may know that the great lion Aslan will have you in his country. You have repented your sins and your heart was true. Be at peace good knight and rest." 

Rilian could not express the joy that spread through his veins as he heard those words, and as if hearing her speech had given him strength he tightened his hand around hers. "Thank you, Lilliandil," He paused as if searching for the right words then shook his head slowly. If he could jump up and shout to the world the praises of Aslan he would.

"I...All my life I've been told I was no one. As a boy I wanted my name to be remembered..." At that moment Rilian knows what he wants to ask of this perfectly wonderful stranger who has come to his side in his last moments. "While that should not be important to me now I do ask that you remember me Lilliandil. You, a kind and good stranger, I ask that you remember me." His next words were what one might call a whisper: "Thank you Lilliandil...thank you Aslan."

He was not afraid of death.

Those were the final words of the Archenland knight, the one they called Rilian and fine words they were.

But Lilliandil did not forget what he had requested of her, and long after his passing and many years later she bore a son whom she named Prince Rilian, in memory of the dying man she sought upon the river bank.

But that is an entirely different story.


End file.
